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Are Americans inherently bad or good?

Adam Somlec

Council Member
My friend was just in a sociology experiment at a library where some guy asked my friend to watch his stuff while he went to the bathroom. Then another guy came up and stole guy1's ipod. My friend ran the guy down only to be told he was a part of a social experiment. After checking to make sure this wasn't some elaborate ploy to actually steal my friends stuff, my friend was told that he was only the second person to chase the guy down.

So my question is, are we inherently bad or inherently good? Is there more good or bad in the USA?
 

SW48

Administrator
Staff member
Supporting Member
My friend was just in a sociology experiment at a library where some guy asked my friend to watch his stuff while he went to the bathroom. Then another guy came up and stole guy1's ipod. My friend ran the guy down only to be told he was a part of a social experiment. After checking to make sure this wasn't some elaborate ploy to actually steal my friends stuff, my friend was told that he was only the second person to chase the guy down.

So my question is, are we inherently bad or inherently good? Is there more good or bad in the USA?
more good
 

Max R.

On the road
Supporting Member
My friend was just in a sociology experiment at a library where some guy asked my friend to watch his stuff while he went to the bathroom. Then another guy came up and stole guy1's ipod. My friend ran the guy down only to be told he was a part of a social experiment. After checking to make sure this wasn't some elaborate ploy to actually steal my friends stuff, my friend was told that he was only the second person to chase the guy down.

So my question is, are we inherently bad or inherently good? Is there more good or bad in the USA?
Most people are inherently good, however the sociology experiment was limited to only college kids in that particular school.

Additionally, don't confuse inaction with badness. On another thread there was an incident where a man was telling able-bodied people who lacked a handicap sticker/license plate/hangtag to please move their cars from the only handicap spot in 20 at a Tampa Starbucks. The manager of that Starbucks (store #8485), Wendell Wood,** banned the man from all Starbucks. Later, after a shitstorm on social media, the corporate headquarters rescinded the ban. Now, many people don't like it when bad people rob others, beat them or even just take handicap parking spaces, but very few would do anything about it. Most people are cowards, they don't want to "get involved", but that's not the same as being "bad people".






**Starbucks

Starbucks Corporation
14394 North Dale Mabry Highway
Tampa, FL 33618
Phone: (813) 962-1179
Web: Starbucks.com
Wendell Wood, Site Manager
 

Jen

Senator
My friend was just in a sociology experiment at a library where some guy asked my friend to watch his stuff while he went to the bathroom. Then another guy came up and stole guy1's ipod. My friend ran the guy down only to be told he was a part of a social experiment. After checking to make sure this wasn't some elaborate ploy to actually steal my friends stuff, my friend was told that he was only the second person to chase the guy down.

So my question is, are we inherently bad or inherently good? Is there more good or bad in the USA?
We are sliding toward the bad at a rapid pace.
God, whether or not it exists, gives us a moral compass. God has effectively been removed from just about everything now. While it is possible to make up a moral compass, most people just can't sustain that without some consequence for being bad or for being good.

Our natural instinct is for our own survival and for our own happiness. So without some inner guide, we will do what makes us happy. Many times, what makes us happy is having stuff. Earning that stuff isn't fun, so if it can be avoided...........it is.

Most people, without some sort of consequence-bound reason will behave in bad fashion for a multitude of reasons, but basically, because it makes us momentarily feel good.

So now our culture says God can't be talked about, babies may be aborted if their presence would inconvenience us, we can lie to win in politics or get a job and it's okay......... the list goes on and increases daily.

Our lack of moral compass will destroy us.
 

Addy

Rebuild With Biden!
Some wise person stated... (Integerity, is doing the right thing even when no one is watching). I agree.

Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” ― C.S. Lewis
 

Mr. Friscus

Governor
My friend was just in a sociology experiment at a library where some guy asked my friend to watch his stuff while he went to the bathroom. Then another guy came up and stole guy1's ipod. My friend ran the guy down only to be told he was a part of a social experiment. After checking to make sure this wasn't some elaborate ploy to actually steal my friends stuff, my friend was told that he was only the second person to chase the guy down.

So my question is, are we inherently bad or inherently good? Is there more good or bad in the USA?
This is a big difference between American Liberals and Conservatives

Liberals seem to view people as inherently good, and thus some social injustice must be the source of any bad behavior or poor results.

Meanwhile, Conservatives overall view people as inherently bad, and hold people more responsible for their behavior.
 
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Max R.

On the road
Supporting Member
This is a big difference between American Liberals and Conservatives

Liberals seem to view people as inherently good, and thus some social injustice must be the source of any bad behavior or poor results.

Meanwhile, Conservatives overall view people as inherently bad, and hold people more responsible for their behavior.
A slight disagreement on that viewpoint, although there is validity in the concept that Liberals tend to see the world in terms of Rainbows and Unicorns while Conservatives tend to see it in terms of brass tacks. Liberals lean toward idealism, Conservatives lean toward realism.

From that POV, both can see people as inherently good and both can recognize some people are bad, but it's how each viewpoint deals with the bad which is the difference. The Liberals think love and nurturing will cure badness while Conservatives think a nice stint in a maximum security facility making little rocks out of big rocks will fix the problem.
 

Mr. Friscus

Governor
A slight disagreement on that viewpoint, although there is validity in the concept that Liberals tend to see the world in terms of Rainbows and Unicorns while Conservatives tend to see it in terms of brass tacks. Liberals lean toward idealism, Conservatives lean toward realism.

From that POV, both can see people as inherently good and both can recognize some people are bad, but it's how each viewpoint deals with the bad which is the difference.

I disagree. The Liberals think love and nurturing will cure badness while Conservatives think a nice stint in a maximum security facility making little rocks out of big rocks will fix the problem.
I disagree.

Mainstream American Liberals first blame society when, for example, a school shooting happens.
  • They blame the gun laws in place, outside of the context of overall good numbers as far as gun deaths over the years. They routinely try to declare the exception as the rule. We have 320+ million people in America (documented, anyways), and the mere existance of guns, like cars, will cause deaths. Today's Democrats ignore this, on purpose, to make a point. They blatantly overexaggerate for the "greater good".
  • They blame the race of the shooter if he's white and the victim(s) are black, thus, suggesting that the white people, code word for Conservatives, are still heavily acting against black people in today's society. From the rhetoric used, I assume most black people are under the unfortunate false premise that white folk still use the word "n*gger" hundreds of times a day. No joke.
  • If the shooter is black, the blame is placed on the negative economic pressures of society, forcing them into such actions. Conservatives still hold the shooter accountable, Liberals, overall, tend to avoid any mention of the act as much as possible, and instead go on tangents of rich/poor.
Conservatives, on the same issues
  • blame the evil gunman in the scenario, and embrace the obviously statistical certainty that people like this exist in America, and that a minute few will slip through the cracks of the system no matter how much we try to prevent it.
  • Ask for proof of "epidemics" that are proclaimed by Democrats, such as "white cops killing black people all over America"... There's no proof that it's escalated, and there's plenty of entirely rational explainations as to why there might be some elevation in the direction when you consider how many police officers in America are white and how many young black men seem to be active in crime, so say the numbers.
Meanwhile, I would argue that Conservatives advocate for parental nurture and love while Liberals try to avoid any mention of culture, family, etc., and simply look at society. That's it.
 

fairsheet

Senator
What's the value of an I-Pod? This "experiment" seems vary poorly designed, at least in terms of ajudging "goodness".
 
My friend was just in a sociology experiment at a library where some guy asked my friend to watch his stuff while he went to the bathroom. Then another guy came up and stole guy1's ipod. My friend ran the guy down only to be told he was a part of a social experiment. After checking to make sure this wasn't some elaborate ploy to actually steal my friends stuff, my friend was told that he was only the second person to chase the guy down.

So my question is, are we inherently bad or inherently good? Is there more good or bad in the USA?
Or inherently taken by surprise? If someone I didn't know asked me too look after their stuff in a cafe or something whilst they went to the loo or something --- I really would be so surprised if another unknown decided to run off with the stuff! lol -------- silly experiment, who leaves their phone or ipod laying around? That alone would be suspect.

Thinking about it --- if an unknown person asked me to look after their ipod I would refuse -- I'd say 'take it with you'. Luggage and shopping is another matter but such a tiny thing -- Nope.
 
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